No-hitter in first-ever 4A game at state

Top-rated Woodbury Central beat #5 Charter Oak-Ute 6-0 to advance to the Class 1A championship. The Wildcats will take on defending champion Cardinal of Eldon, which beat Akron enroute to the title game.For the first time the tournament has a class 4A, and the first game was a no-hitter. Third-ranked Dowling Catholic’s Stephanie Ackerson provided the gem in a 1-0 win over Muscatine. “It helps when my catcher is really behind me and telling me good things,” Ackerson said. “She called a great game tonight. She did an awesome job mixing it up.” A fly ball to left by Keriann Gleason in the fifth provided the only run but it did not make Ackerson rest easy. “I get more nervous when we get runs because then it’s my fault if we lose,” she said. Nancy Hilber’s two-out single to center in the bottom of the 11th lifted top ranked Cedar Rapids Jefferson to a 3-2 win over eighth ranked Sioux City East. Hilber’s hit came moments after the J-Hawks Natalie Niemeyer was injured sliding into third base. “I wanted to get it all back and especially since one of our players get hurt and I wanted to do it for her, because if anybody noticed, the (opposing team’s) pitcher was smiling when she was laying on the ground,” Niemeyer said.The victory sends Jefferson into tonight’s semifinal round. Jefferson will play fourth-rated Davenport West. The Falcons spoiled the night for a large home crowd with a 4-0 win over Fort Dodge. West coach Steve Saladino says he was extremely proud of his team. “I didn’t expect this to happen, but you know I ain’t going to turn it away and not take it,” he said.